March 1st
by AbSim7
Summary: In which Adrian upholds a Romanian tradition with Sydney.


Author's Note: My piano teacher is Romanian and every year on March 1st she gives me a red and white bracelet which she says symbolizes the coming of spring. I think it's a really nice tradition and that's what this story is about. Please forgive me if you're Romanian and I don't get this entirely right as I'm just going off of what she told me. If I get something wrong feel free to correct me! I know the timing of this story doesn't really make sense, but please just pretend it does! Hope you enjoy :)

"Come on Zoe, they're waiting for us!" I tapped my foot impatiently as she rifled through her tote bag.

"The less time spent with them, the better." She muttered.

I repressed the urge to roll my eyes, knowing that I had to remain inconspicuous in my contempt for the alchemist viewpoint, but it was getting more and more difficult to do so.

"That doesn't excuse you from being rude." I snapped at her. Belatedly I realized that I should have been a little more sympathetic towards her to keep up my vampire-hating charade, but I didn't take it back. I was tired of this; tired of watching my every move in front of her lest she report anything suspicious to the alchemists - or worse, my father. But it had been months! She could at least be civil towards them.

"Fine, fine, I'm ready." She walked out the door of our dorm room and I locked it behind her, grumbling as I did so. What I really was upset about was how she was cutting into my Adrian time - not that I could explain that to her.

We were meeting the gang for a trip to Clarence's – all of us attending in explanation of our family's "religious beliefs". I practically skipped down to the commons, excited to see Adrian in the little time I got to spend with him. We texted each other daily but it wasn't the same as seeing him in person. Jill helped us to see each other sometimes; she was being very mature about all this. In fact we were scheduled to visit this Monday but these group meetings were just a bonus.

In the dorm commons we were met by Eddie, Angeline, Jill and Neil.

"Ready to go?" Eddie asked.

"Yup." I tried not to look too eager as we all piled into the car. I drove, as per usual, while I instructed Eddie to order Thai food for dinner. We finally pulled into Clarence's after a car ride full of Zoe's sullen glares and Angeline and Jill coaxing stories out of Neil.

"Welcome, welcome." Said Clarence, smiling widely as we entered, Jill giving him a hug on our way in. I smiled at him but Zoe shuddered away, slinking to my other side – she always stuck to me like glue when we came here. Thankfully Clarence didn't notice her rude attitude.

We entered the living room and my heart sped up a little. There, devilishly handsome, his green eyes glinting, leaning against the banister, was Adrian Ivashkov. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. A secret smile just for the two of us. "Well, well, if it isn't my two favourite humans."

Zoe scowled. Adrian liked to tease her. _A lot._ He really got under Zoe's skin. "Why so tense little Sage? You need to relax. Maybe a little drink?" She flinched. "What? I meant a Bloody Mary."

"Enough Adrian." Said Eddie, coming into the living room with Angeline and Neil in tow, Jill already with the feeder.

"I don't get why you're even here." Zoe snapped at him.

Adrian shrugged. "It's a family dinner, cuz." I sometimes forgot that we all maintained we were family at Amberwood, but now that I thought about it, we really had become like a family. Eddie really was like a brother to me and I could talk to Jill more freely than I could talk to my own sister. Adrian, well, he was in a whole other category that had nothing to do with the word brother.

"Sydney?" Adrian's voice startled me from my thought process. "Could I see you in the other room for a second?"

I didn't know what to say. Adrian _knew _we had to remain inconspicuous and asking for alone time with me while my sister was _right there? _He was acting like an idiot.

"Why?" Zoe demanded.

Adrian smooth as ever, had a lie prepared. I could tell he was lying by the way his lips twitched up slightly – it's how I always knew when he'd had one drink more than what we'd agreed on. "I was wondering if she could help me edit an essay I have to do for my art class."

"That's not part of her job." Zoe snapped.

I put up a hand. "Relax Zo, it's ok. I don't mind. Talk to Eddie, I'll be right back."

I left the room with a very angry look from her trailing me. Adrian followed me into the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I hissed. "Everyone's going to find out!"

"Relax Sage," he said in his normal tone of voice. "No one'll suspect anything. This isn't that weird behaviour on my part."

I was still slightly annoyed, but I could see his point. It really wasn't that big a deal for him to ask me to edit his essay. I realized after a few moments that he hadn't actually said anything about why he needed to see me. "Well? What was so important that it couldn't wait until Monday?" I demanded.

"Well, uh," he was looking down and he seemed a little nervous "It's not that important I guess. It's just that it's the first day of March and - how much do you know about Romanian traditions?"  
I racked my brain, thinking about Romania. All I knew was that it borders on the Black Sea and its capitol city is Bucharest but I'm pretty sure Adrian wasn't going to bring that up on this admittedly bizarre train of thought. I shook my head. "Not much."

For a moment his regular cockiness returned. "Do I know something you don't Sage?" He mocked "I think this should go down in the record books."

"Adrian could you please get on with it?" I said, consulting my watch, wondering when Zoe would come looking for me.

"Oh right." He cleared his throat. "Like I said, it's no big deal really," he didn't look at me when he said this "just something I used to do with my Aunt."

"Oh." My tone softened. I knew Adrian had been very close to his Aunt and he was still upset sometimes about her death - especially when he was in the throes of spirit.

"In Romania the boys give the girls a gift on March first to represent the beginning of spring - especially girls they like." He smiled at me and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a delicate bracelet made of red and white string entwined together with a small pendant. I gasped - it was so beautiful and dainty. I held out my wrist and smiling, he closed the silver clasp around it.

"Did you make this?" I asked, lifting it up to examine it in the limited light that we had.

He nodded "I put my own spin on the classic design" he grabbed the pendant and flipped it up to reveal a hand painted morning glory.

"It's perfect!" I exclaimed delightedly. It felt like my heart was swelling and if I had let myself I probably could have cried from emotion. I was surprised by my reaction. The only jewelry I usually wore was the small cross on my neck but I had never received jewelry as a gift before and a hand-made piece by Adrian just made it extra special.

"So you'll really wear it?" His smile just kept getting bigger.

"Of course I'll wear it!" I threw my arms around him and kissed him - not caring for a moment that I was on duty and that anyone could walk in at anytime. He responded eagerly and I could feel his joy at something as simple as giving me a bracelet. He pushed me up onto the counter and I forgot myself. Losing myself in his touch, his lips. Me and Adrian were perfect for each other, there was nothing else that mattered. His hands went behind my neck and into my hair. Oh god, I-

"Uh, guys."

We sprang apart, as if shocked. My heart sped up but not in a good way this time. _We've been found out. _I thought wildly. _I need to get away, they'll take me to re-education, they'll- oh." _

It was just Jill. I slumped down, incredibly relieved but incredibly vexed. What had I just done? That was so, so dangerous, what with Zoe just in the next room. Thank god it was only Jill who had found us.

"You may want to go back in the living room. Zoe's asking for you, Sydney."

I put my head back and groaned, embarrassed by the situation. I smoothed down my hair before hopping off the counter and following Jill back into the living room. I snuck a peek at Adrian and I could see the grin he was trying to hide behind his serious expression.

I wondered briefly if it was worth it, worth almost getting caught, to have spent those few precious minutes with Adrian. I looked down at the bracelet which would now become a permanent part of my wrist. I thought about how happy it made him, how good it was for him to have a memory of his Aunt that wasn't plagued by politics or murder or gossip and I was happy that I could give that small peace to him.

As I walked back into the room, turning alchemist mode on, facing my sister and the hard reality of living a lie every day, I realised that being with Adrian was always worth it.

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